Exodus in Cabarete?

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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Uhm... perhaps a few of them made incorrect investment decisions and now want to lay blame a la Dominican Style?

(I kinda know you disagree with me froggy ... but face it, I have a point)
 

mountainfrog

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Dec 8, 2003
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Strange Unity

Uhm... perhaps a few of them made incorrect investment decisions and now want to lay blame a la Dominican Style?
You are correct.
Numbers were not given.

I am certain it was only one Italian, one Canadian, one British and one German entrepreneur... ;)
Never, however, have I seen such a correspondence between the nationalities...

United from paradise we leave...?

m'frog
 

CFA123

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May 29, 2004
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I'm wondering if it's not an effort by the business community to get some attention to the problems around Cabarete. (Yes, there have continued to be some crime issues that haven't made it to the newspapers and forums.)

Perhaps the idea is to use the media to shake things up a little. Be interesting to see if other newspapers run with the story.

Now, let's just hope the reaction isn't to close the bars at 11pm. :tired:
 
C

Chip00

Guest
If Leonel is got a good head on his shoulders he'll step up the Barrio Seguro plan in this area if it already hasn't been implented.

One doesn't even have to have a high school education to realize what this situation/bad press could do to tourism.
 

Chris

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Chip00, have you ever been to Cabarete? Barrio Seguro is kinda overkill? Yes? The barrio has about 3, perhaps 4 roads and really does not look or feel like a barrio. There really is not a barrio there, just a Dominican community. I took Spanish classes there some years ago and it was a friendly, welcoming real piece of Cabarete with wonderful food. Had some of the best food there that I ever had on the North Coast.

Cabarete (tourist Cabarete) has one road with a few going off to 'new' gated communities or pink and green condos.

The history here is remarkable. As long as the development stayed in Cabarete (Tourist Cabarete), things were fine. As soon as the development moved off of the main drag, things are not so fine. The crime is not Cabarete Dominican people, it is those that move in for a while and pick the low hanging fruit.

It is strange, first time I went to Cabarete years ago, it was the same thing. At that stage however, it was Europeans and Germans that had the crime problem as Americans had not really appeared on the scene yet. There are stacks of abandoned developments hidden behind overgrown trees.

Seems to me it is a self-perpetuating cycle. Perhaps this little place does not want to be developed?. It sure has lost most of its charm for me with all the rampant, as quick as you can, cement block painted in pretty colors, 'development'.

I lived just outside of Cabarete without ever locking any doors. The 'iron' that we had was for decoration only. We left for a vacation without closing our back door. When we came back, one of the Dominican neighbors' son had moved in for the duration, just to keep an eye on the place and make sure the chickens don't take a hike. It is such a heartache that this wonderful little spot in the sun has attracted so much development that it is losing its charm and has become a crime magnet in the process. Don't get me wrong, there was theft, but very seldom was there any violent crime. (Unless two Germans lit into one another at the Hexenkessel and we all watched!)

I guess the froggy feels the same about Las Terrenas.
 
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Chip00

Guest
"Barrio Seguro" from what Police have told me is a stepped up presence in an area and although Cabaret isn't your normal "barrio" I would think a more prominent ploice force in this area could only do good. Hell even the dumb ass police here who are crooked realize the importance of tourism to the DR and who wants to hear on the news that the foreigners are abandoning Cabarete?

Look to see Leonel doing something soon if this continues.
 

Chris

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The crime is not in the barrio or on the main drag. The crime is around new developments, all tucked into little bays and little streets. Stepped up presence will mean patrols to .. say .. 50 little 'spaces'. I can't see it happening. By the time the patrol gets there, the crime will be done.

It is still a very small place with all kinds of nooks and crannies.

People there are at the end of the crime wave. If they're beginning to feel it, it just shows how much it has taken root.
 
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El_Uruguayo

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Dec 7, 2006
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Apparently the murder was by another gringo - not that that makes it any better, just something to take into consideration - it doesnt seem to be a crime of a dominican against an expat.
 

CFA123

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And another article along the same theme at http://www.puertoplatadigital.com/noticias/nacionales/cabaretehaciadondeva.htm

"... not stopping the wave of violence and robberies to houses and businesses of foreigners, if it continues without control, it could be that many of the residents who have just acquired properties, they return to their countries of origin or are going to go to another one of the nearby islands where they find greater security."

Strong words.

And, El Uruguayo, I think you're right. From what I hear, the horrible incident in Sosua last night really has no direct bearing on this particular topic.
 
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batich

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And another article along the same theme at http://www.puertoplatadigital.com/noticias/nacionales/cabaretehaciadondeva.htm

"... not stopping the wave of violence and robberies to houses and businesses of foreigners, if it continues without control, it could be that many of the residents who have just acquired properties, they return to their countries of origin or are going to go to another one of the nearby islands where they find greater security."

Strong words.

And, El Uruguayo, I think you're right. From what I hear, the horrible incident in Sosua last night really has no direct bearing on this particular topic.

Not at all.

Those poor foreigners can do nothing. They are stuck. Most of them stupidly bought real property at inflated prices that they won`t be able to sell for years and years.

For them there is no way to escape. Without leaving behind and losing everything.

And for many of them the money they spent were their life savings.

These people are in horrible position. Like non-nativos farmers in Zimbabwe several years ago.

They should be very greatful to their RE agents who said - buy! buy! buy!

Like some respected DR1 members keep aggresively saying and advising even now.
 

SantiagoDR

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Jan 12, 2006
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...... I am not impressed, this Island may be inexpensive , but if the price is your life.
Inexpensive?
Where do you live on this Island?

Look to see Leonel doing something soon if this continues.
Leonel is realizing his dream, making the DR like a "Little New York".
Why would he step in?
 
Sep 20, 2003
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Not at all.

Those poor foreigners can do nothing. They are stuck. Most of them stupidly bought real property at inflated prices that they won`t be able to sell for years and years.

For them there is no way to escape. Without leaving behind and losing everything.

And for many of them the money they spent were their life savings.

These people are in horrible position. Like non-nativos farmers in Zimbabwe several years ago.

They should be very greatful to their RE agents who said - buy! buy! buy!

Like some respected DR1 members keep aggresively saying and advising even now.

Here's a nightmare scenario if I ever heard one.:eek::eek:
 

mountainfrog

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Dec 8, 2003
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Those Were The Days

.... It is such a heartache that this wonderful little spot in the sun has attracted so much development that it is losing its charm and has become a crime magnet in the process....
I guess the froggy feels the same about Las Terrenas.

Correct, I do.
Same development here.
One wants to get out...

m'frog
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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Those poor foreigners can do nothing. They are stuck. Most of them stupidly bought real property at inflated prices that they won`t be able to sell for years and years.

For them there is no way to escape. Without leaving behind and losing everything.

And for many of them the money they spent were their life savings.

These people are in horrible position. Like non-nativos farmers in Zimbabwe several years ago.

They should be very greatful to their RE agents who said - buy! buy! buy!

Like some respected DR1 members keep aggresively saying and advising even now.

Batich, with respect, DR1 members consistently advise newcomers to live in the country for at least a year, before they buy anything.

Someone on this site recently said that buying property in the DR, a developing nation, should form only a part of one's investment strategy. It should not be your only investment strategy. Simple but proper advice.

I say again, if you cannot afford to live in the country for a year before you buy a house, you cannot afford to buy here, and your decision is most probably wrong. Buy a condo! But for heaven's sake, do your due diligence first. The real estate agent in the DR is also most probably the last person you should listen to. There are no rules here. There are very few reliable real estate agents. I see houses sold that years ago we rejected, simply because they were too vulnerable from a security standpoint.

Another point, real crime figures are hard to come by. I'm willing to bet that this is not a 'crime wave against gringos only', but that Dominicans experience the same. My feeling is that some crime reporters are riding an issue that will get them into print.

Chris (experienced 6 robberies in the DR on account of simply choosing the wrong place to live - moved - experienced one robbery when there were builders building a house next door and I left the door open and went shopping!)
 
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jackieboo

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Mar 18, 2006
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Cabarete is still lovely during the day with maybe too many vendors on the beach but still lovely. It's at night when the the creatures come out to crawl.

Until businesses and the community come to the realization that the sex trade, drugs and crime are all connected there won't be much progress towards making the cities safer.
 

Werner

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Feb 19, 2004
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There is some contradiction in your post, Globalmike.
You tried to enjoy a overpriced meal in this inexpencive country?

Beside that, I think its good that there are jewelry sellers that go for the honest peso. The fact that they try to sell to you is that you might have family or kids that you can buy for.

The latest murder in Sosua was done by a American on a Canadian.
 

Taylor

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Jan 28, 2005
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It amazes me how Cabarete is such a place of contradictions. People either love it or hate it. Some people say the RE is about to crash horribly, and others say that it`s about to skyrocket. Some say it`s lost all it`s carm, others are saying that if finally has some much needed infastructure.

One thing is certain, it brings out the `passion` in everyone.
 

jackieboo

On Vaction without a return ticket!
Mar 18, 2006
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The sky is falling, the sky is falling!!!!

Yet another thread screaming at the top of it's pathetic lungs 'the sky is falling'!!!!!

Why don't a few of you look at the facts:

1. The real estate market on the north coast has not seen a dip in over 30 years.

2. During those 30 years there have been several fiscal recessions in this country.

3. Although we would like to believe that the government is retarded all the time, even these folks have a savant moment every now and then.

The real issue here is that as cities grow so does their crime rate. This happens in every town, in every country, period. Is there crime in Cabarete? Yes. Is there more crime now than 30 years ago? Yes (well, cabarete wasn't there 30 years ago)

Many of the members will tell you the same thing, get a really big dog or two. And the most important thing, get to know your neighbors, if you don't want to know them then there's a good chance you're living in the wrong house.

Sadly, many of the ex-pats come here entirely unprepared and most of that is due to bad planning. If you find a house you like go there during all hours of the day and night before putting in an offer. Trust your gut feelings as they generally are the best guide.